Which CEO co-founded Microsoft?

Which CEO co-founded Microsoft? Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft and later served as its CEO.

Gates and his childhood friend Paul Allen established Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on April 4, 1975. Their first major product was an interpreter for BASIC, developed for the Altair 8800 microcomputer and licensed to its maker, MITS. Allen suggested the company name “Micro-Soft,” combining “microcomputer” and “software.”

Gates was Microsoft’s chief executive from the company’s early years until January 2000. He then became chairman and chief software architect while Steve Ballmer took over as CEO. Gates left his daily operating role in 2008 and later stepped down from Microsoft’s board in 2020, although he remained a technology adviser for a period.

Paul Allen was also a genuine Microsoft co-founder, which explains why the wording can cause confusion. However, among the listed options, Bill Gates is the CEO who co-founded Microsoft. Mark Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook, Steve Jobs co-founded Apple, and neither founded Microsoft.